Dicamba Drift: More Perspective From Missouri

David Bennett reported earlier this month at the Delta Farm Press Online that, “As with field days in other Mid-South states, dicamba drift was a featured part of the late August University of Missouri’s Fisher Delta Research Center field day outside Portageville.

“‘Obviously, the drift complaints have slowed down in the last couple of weeks because there’s less and less to spray,’ says Kevin Bradley, University of Missouri weed scientist. ‘There are cases still trickling in, though. According to the Missouri Department of Agriculture, we’re just north of 300 complaints under investigation.’

“Bradley believes the drift situation for 2017 ‘is largely over for Missouri. Some of the states north of us are still having trouble, though.'”

Mr. Bennett indicated that, “Now, [Bradley] says, the question is: ‘What do we do now? What happens in 2018?

“‘There are also a lot of questions about yields from both sides. How much did the damage cost (non-dicamba tolerants) crops? How much yield did the dicamba tolerant crops produce? Odds are we won’t know until we run combines through.'”

The Delta Farm Press article also quoted Bradley as saying:

“I have no idea what the future holds in terms of regulations (regarding dicamba application) or if there will be nothing. However, there are many, many calls asking me what to do. You know, ‘I’m thinking about buying seed. What’s your advice?’

“Well, my advice is pretty simple. Everything I’ve seen in 2017 says we need to keep this in the pre-plant, burndown, pre-emergence use pattern. Leave the post-emergence alone. I’m sticking with that because the risk is too great for off-target movement to be spraying this for Palmer (amaranth) and waterhemp in soybeans.”